HUGE CAST CNC build

[stoneyreef]

Greetings.

I thought it was time to share my Cast CNC build. CastCNC - Home

I initially started on this journey with a Joes Hybrid. Welcome to Joe'sCNC.com

Over two years ago when I began my Joes, they were all building lead screw 4X4 machines. Well I wanted one bigger. So I built the first 4X8 rack and pinion joes hybrid.

The guys on the Joe's forum took the ideas and ran with it.

After 2 years of development I decided it was time to make a huge machine. One that graduated into the realms of an industrial machine instead of a home hobby machine.

Thus, we begin the Cast CNC build.

The build will be 12ftX9ft. The cutting area will be around 65inX12ft. This will leave room for an approximate 20in. rotary off the side.

There were a couple requirements for this build.

1. Be able to cut stock baltic birch plywood.

2. Be able to turn a 11ft long turning for timber framers.

3. Be rigid and run at a minimum of 1000 inches per minute rapids.



So we started with 4"x2" steel channel for the major frame. The bed will be 2"x2" steel tubing.

Rails will be precision ground hardened V rail and japanese sealed V bearings for the linear motion.

The router will be a 3/.25 hp porter cable router.

Using a K2 CNC 8in. Z axis. K2 USA CNC Router, Cabinet CNC Router, Small to Large CNC Router Machines, Desktop CNC router.


This build should be done in a couple of weeks but here is a good start.


















Some tips:

Get a tapping head. Mounting the V rail and such to the 80/20 of this build will take about 300 tapped holes. I picked up a procunier tapping head from ebay and I have to say you really do not know what you are missing.


Get the CAST CNC with the option of having all the main holes in the trucks marked/spotted. This made it incredibly simple to drill and tap the cast aluminum trucks.

Lastly, Harry at CAST CNC has been amazing. He has taken all of my phone calls answered every question and is a great guy to just talk to about CNC, metal, casting, and generally every topic anyone with a man cave wants to talk about.

Anyhow, that is enough for tonight. Stay tuned!!!

[crane550]

If I learned one thing from my previous build, it is "simple is better." The CastCNC system (which I am just becoming familiar with) does have a lot of parts. How is alignment on these systems? Do they have a track record?

Looks like an interesting design. I will stay posted!

[stoneyreef]

I didn't think the CASTCNC has many parts. I mean, you have to build the carriages out of something . . . . .

[DonFrambach]

This is going to be a very interesting build. Looking forward to seeing more pictures!

[CNC Lurker]

Looking forward to the build. I've seen CastCNC on other forums, but I don't recall seeing them used here.

[CastCNC]

Originally Posted by crane550 If I learned one thing from my previous build, it is "simple is better." The CastCNC system (which I am just becoming familiar with) does have a lot of parts. How is alignment on these systems? Do they have a track record? Looks like an interesting design. I will stay posted!

Hi, not to derail the OP's thread I wanted to answer the questions asked and explain a little as to the number of parts. Each of the 2 Y Trucks and the X carriage have 7 parts. These parts have counter angles to be able to bring the draft angle of the castings back to 90* angles and this has worked out very good to allow the use of raw cast parts with no real machining allowing for a fairly simple DIY build.

Alignment has been applauded by those who have built the machine. Each Truck has an adjustable wheel on one side that allows tilting the gantry front to rear and the X carriage side to side. As built it comes out very close and final tramming is very easy as it is built into the design.

Here is a quote from one builder

It was within 0.010 when I started, it took about 10 Min. To get it within 0.001. I was expecting it to be out much more than it was.

On track record. We are one year old from machine #1 first going into service and it has performed flawlessly. We are also closing in on #30 so there are quite a few of these machines running out there and to date I have received nothing but compliments from those builders.

One thing to remember is that this design is based on Joes Hybrid which has been proven over a number of years. The cast kit and second beam just adds rigidity and adjustability to his design. This is the reason CastCNC has been kept under the umbrella of Joes community and why access to his excellent private forum is included in the price of the kit.

Again, sorry to side track this thread and if anyone has questions specific to the CastCNC please post in this thread and I will be more than happy to try and answer.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/joes_c...astcnc_v2.html

Regards,

Harry

[stoneyreef]

Another day of work.


Started out by removing the stair case that goes upstairs in the shop. Have not decided if I want to replace it with a attic stair that will pull down or if I just want to put some large barn door hinges on the current stair case and lift it up and lock it in place when it is not being used. I use the upstairs only for storage so I go up there about 6 times a year.


So today we got it all leveled, trued, straight, square, etc etc. That took most of the day. But it is PERFECT! So we tacked in the bed, and the supports on the bottom. Now we just need to tack in the cross braces and grout in the feet to the floor and it will be done. So we have about one more day left on the base. Then as most of you know it is all just bolt together!!!


For reference in those photos is a 4ft level and a 9 foot piece of 80/20


Doing some rough figuring an indexing axis will be able to turn a 44" log and will have a true 4 axis capability of around 20".

[stoneyreef]

Not much for pictures tonight.



So we put the 80/20 on. Tapped most of the holes in the carriages. Bolted it to the floor and had steaks on the grill.

Thursday we will grout it in. Get it into a rolling chasis. The recheck plumb square level. Right now we are 1/64" of an inch out of parallel over a 12ft span. So the movement in the rails will take care of that when we bolt them down.

Now we are just waiting on the V-rail.

If the V-rail arrives Thursday or before we should have a functional router!!!!!

So thursday night we will mask and paint the majority of it. Friday after the grout is set I will finish welding it up. Saturday we will put in the final cross bracing and do touch up paint. By Saturday night we should have a fully built router and putting the spoil boards on.

So we will miss our deadline by one day!

[stoneyreef]

On hold for about a week. I feel like I am getting bent by a supplier. If they do not make it right, I will post the whole story.

[BloomingtonMike]

Is it a Superior supplier?

[stoneyreef]

LOL! Mike you are too funny. I don't know if he is making it right? But supposedly my stuff will be here on Thursday the 7th. At this point I feel like while I am getting my stuff (yet to be seen) the customer service was horrible.

[stoneyreef]

V rail takes so long to prep. 168 holes. 2+ hours to drill but only 30 min to tap! Gotta love that tapping head. I am so close I can taste it. So close I wish I had not hit the snooze button this morning. Oh well the rest of the day is full so Sunday I guess it is then.





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I can't believe this #%!^#$&*$^(%)(^^()$^*#^@%^%%@#&*#$*^$^(%(%^*)O^(*)(&*$&#@^#^&@$#@@#!

Plugged in the Mach 3 computer to get it all configured out and the sparks flew!!!!! Another power supply shot.

I have a spare power supply and case for the daughter's computer so I guess I will swap her computer into the new power supply and case and use her old stuff to fit the CNC computer in. $#^@^@%^@# proprietary HP crap!!!



Here is the front of the machine. A few items in there for size reference. That is a gallon bottle of glue.

The table is 5ft wide. A layer of tongue and groove 3/4" thick sturdi floor. On top of that is glued the first layer of 3/4" MDF. On top of that will be glued the final layer of 3/4" MDF.

Painted dark hunter green.





This gives you a better idea of the overall size of the machine.



Here is a photo of the right side. Table top will be at 42" the mdf in the back
is 5ft tall. The one in the front is 48" tall.